Fans have wrapped themselves in her dresses for 40 years. Now they can dress their homes in Diane von Furstenberg fabric

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She may be celebrating the 40th anniversary of her iconic wrap dress this year, but Diane von Furstenberg is not content to confine herself to the fashion world. " 'Design your life' is my mantra," she says. Indeed, von Furstenberg has put her imprint on cosmetics, perfume, jewelry, children's clothing, and home accessories over the course of her career. Next up? The designer has partnered with venerable furnishings and fabrics giant Kravet to launch her first collection of textiles and trimmings for the home.

Animal patterns and graphic prints are synonymous with von Furstenberg's clothing designs. So it's not surprising that bold stripes and geometrics, vivid florals, textured fabrics that resemble snake and crocodile skins, and classic zebra, tiger, and cheetah motifs all show up in her debut line. "I always seem to go back to zebra stripes," she says. "I love the fact that in nature they are meant to obscure, but they can be the most memorable feature in a room."

Clockwise from top left: China Club linen in colbalt, Night Vine linen in China Blue, and Funky Zebra linen in Indigo; A variety of trims; Cumulus cotton in Kohl; Snake Charmer Rayon blend in Beet.

The Belgium-born designer admits that creating the collection was a way to get beyond her comfort zone. Not that she isn't fearless, particularly when it comes to color. "Can you imagine a world in black and white? How sad that would be!" she says. Many of her designs, however, are grounded in those two colors, with a third vibrant hue dominating. "Neutrals are very versatile, which is always important, but I don't want them to be boring," she says.

For its part, Kravet is counting on such patterns as Funky Zebra, Spotted Cat, and Animal Ikat, all of which are rendered in shades of orange, red, and indigo, to attract clients looking to make a bold statement. "Diane's sophisticated take on color and pattern has translated beautifully to her fabrics because she stays true to her vision," says Scott Kravet, the company's creative director. As von Furstenberg says, whether you're dressing yourself or your home, "Know who you are, and be true to that. Clarity is the most important thing."